Has AV cancelled/suspended PTY-SAL??
One looks for PTY-SAL in March on AV's website and all flights go via BOG !

That’s interesting. I also thought SJO-PTY was set to resume.

I wonder if Volaris will ever venture into PTY from SJO/GUA/MEX/CUN

2travel2know2 wrote:

Has AV cancelled/suspended PTY-SAL??
One looks for PTY-SAL in March on AV's website and all flights go via BOG !

It's operating 3X week only MON/THU/SAT as AV316 and SALPTY WED/FRI/SUN as AV317. Copa seems to be operating 10X, certain days 2X.

AV316
05:40
PTY Ciudad de Panamá
06:40
SAL San Salvador



AV317
21:35
SAL San Salvador
00:30
+1
PTY Ciudad de Panamá

2travel2know2 wrote:

Has AV cancelled/suspended PTY-SAL??
One looks for PTY-SAL in March on AV's website and all flights go via BOG !

AV operates PTYSAL 3X per week MON/THU/SAT and SALPTY on WED/FRI/SUN

AV316
05:40
PTY
06:40
SAL

AV317
21:35
SAL
00:30+1
PTY

Nothing on SJOPTY. This route is own by Copa and Wingo

Source: AV website week of March 7th

Chele737 wrote:

2travel2know2 wrote:

Has AV cancelled/suspended PTY-SAL??
One looks for PTY-SAL in March on AV's website and all flights go via BOG !

AV operates PTYSAL 3X per week MON/THU/SAT and SALPTY on WED/FRI/SUN

AV316
05:40
PTY
06:40
SAL

AV317
21:35
SAL
00:30+1
PTY

Nothing on SJOPTY. This route is own by Copa and Wingo

Source: AV website week of March 7th

Last time I checked, El Salvador and Panama didn't have open skies agreement, each country's airline has up to 14 frequencies per week between SAL and PTY plus 5th liberty between MGA/SJO and SAL; CM is fully using its allocation, AV (as Salvadorian AV for El Salvador) flying thrice weekly now, no.

Volaris will add GUA-SAP 3 weekly, starting April 2 on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays.

Regards

juanchito wrote:

Volaris will add GUA-SAP 3 weekly, starting April 2 on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays.

Regards

A very logical addition, and a welcome one for sure. I wonder what's next for Volaris and their Central American operation.

avi8 wrote:

juanchito wrote:

Volaris will add GUA-SAP 3 weekly, starting April 2 on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays.

Regards

A very logical addition, and a welcome one for sure. I wonder what's next for Volaris and their Central American operation.

Maybe Managua from Costa Rica or El Salvador.

Juanchito

A very logical addition, and a welcome one for sure. I wonder what's next for Volaris and their Central American operation.[/quote]

Weren’t they going to start XPL? I thought I heard that somewhere.

Haven't heard anything about XPL from Volaris. But It would be great if served by Volaris Mexico. Maybe 2 weekly from MEX and 2 weekly from CUN. They have lots of connections in both airports.

skybird77 wrote:

A very logical addition, and a welcome one for sure. I wonder what's next for Volaris and their Central American operation.

Weren’t they going to start XPL? I thought I heard that somewhere.[/quote]

juanchito wrote:

Haven't heard anything about XPL from Volaris. But It would be great if served by Volaris Mexico. Maybe 2 weekly from MEX and 2 weekly from CUN. They have lots of connections in both airports.

skybird77 wrote:

A very logical addition, and a welcome one for sure. I wonder what's next for Volaris and their Central American operation.

Weren’t they going to start XPL? I thought I heard that somewhere.

[/quote]

Aeromexico announced MEXXPL start dates in 3 times: 01DEC21, then 18JAN22 and now postponed 07APR22 (before Easter week). Let's see if Volaris without major announcements launches first

Any ~tips for Panama City? Copa and Delta had roundtrip for $200 from NYC to PTY in June so I booked a four day weekend over there. I ended up choosing Delta mainly because of flight times. 8am departure vs 2am/630am on Copa and a 8pm return vs 12am on Copa.

A few summers ago I spent a number of days in the Casco viejo, the historic part of Panamá City. Historic buildings were being restored and there was a large recreation area along the coast.

maverick4002 wrote:

Any ~tips for Panama City? Copa and Delta had roundtrip for $200 from NYC to PTY in June so I booked a four day weekend over there. I ended up choosing Delta mainly because of flight times. 8am departure vs 2am/630am on Copa and a 8pm return vs 12am on Copa.

Depends what do you want to do and if you will just stay in Panama City or will try to move around the country. Casco Viejo is nice for night life. If you like museums, try the Biomuseo in Amador. If you are an engineer, try to visit the Canal Visitor Center, you may be able to see ships going up or down the locks. If you like the outdoors, there are some tours near the canal, where you can visit an Embera Village. If you like beaches, then you need to go outside of Panama City, as the nearby beaches are not that good.

Casco viejo and the canal. Then head straight to the beaches. They are beautiful.

avi8 wrote:

Casco viejo and the canal. Then head straight to the beaches. They are beautiful.

Contadora, Bocas and San Blass are great options for beaches

juanchito wrote:

Maybe Managua from Costa Rica or El Salvador.

The Volaris Costa Rica division briefly flew Q6 SAL-MGA and Q6 SJO-MGA, in 2017.
Managua lost their services on CM MGA-GUA and CM MGA-SJO, among others.

Regards.

Check this stunning paint-scheme on Avianca named: Surf city El Salvador.

Eurowings Discover has confirmed that the flights between FRA and PTY will begin on March 27 (Link in Spanish).

https://www.laestrella.com.pa/economia/ ... a-alemania

The route itinerary, which is already uploaded on Eurowings' official reservation page, is as follows:

LH4394: FRA 11:50 - 16:40 PTY (Tue, Thr, Sun) - A330*
LH4395: PTY 19:05 - 13:35+1 FRA (Tue, Thr, Sun) - A330*

* = It is not yet known if they will operate the route with the A330-200 or the A330-300.

CM took their 15th 739 Max (HP-9915CMP) this past week (Jan 25th 2022)

https://flightaware.com/live/flight/CMP ... /KBFI/MPTO

congratulations !!!!

btw; HP-9916CMP 737-9 MAX First flight RNT-MWH-BFI 21jan22 ,
flightaware.com/live/flight/BOE66
https://www.flickr.com/photos/148006280 ... 835697760/

SJOtoLIR wrote:

juanchito wrote:

Maybe Managua from Costa Rica or El Salvador.

The Volaris Costa Rica division briefly flew Q6 SAL-MGA and Q6 SJO-MGA, in 2017.
Managua lost their services on CM MGA-GUA and CM MGA-SJO, among others.

Regards.

Back then Volaris Costa Rica also flew all the way to Tijuana.

The international in-transit terminal at TIJ will open in May. Maybe they'll be back?

One of the passenger complaints back then was Mexican immigration and customs checks when they'd only be in the country a few minutes as they crossed into San Diego on the CBX bridge.

The terminal is already in the finishing phase. They were putting up drywall two weeks ago.

They've also expanded the US immigrations area. It looked like what's expected at a major airport.

vedatil4 wrote:

The international in-transit terminal at TIJ will open in May. Maybe they'll be back?

Volaris Costa Rica flew to Tijuana from both San Salvador and Guatemala City from 2017-2018, because these Central American cities have a huge point to point traffic to Los Angeles metropolitan area.
They never operated the SJO-TIJ sector.
Q6 also worked the GUA-GDL and SJO-GDL segments, in such filter period.
They rather chose larger stations, like Cancun and Mexico City.

Regards.

SJOtoLIR wrote:

vedatil4 wrote:

The international in-transit terminal at TIJ will open in May. Maybe they'll be back?

Volaris Costa Rica flew to Tijuana from both San Salvador and Guatemala City from 2017-2018, because these Central American cities have a huge point to point traffic to Los Angeles metropolitan area.
They never operated the SJO-TIJ sector.
Q6 also worked the GUA-GDL and SJO-GDL segments, in such filter period.
They rather chose larger stations, like Cancun and Mexico City.

Regards.

What's changed since 2017-18 is that the CBX bridge is drawing more people from the LA area for cheaper tickets. It's crazy busy during the holidays. It's not as sweet as before but likely still easier than dealing with LAX.

They've also developed an improving bus and shuttle network to bring prople down to TIJ. Now there's a TJX code to sell the plane tickets along with the bridge tickets. In theory if passengers search for an LAX-GUA flight in the future, TJX-GUA should show up as an option.

The new in-transit terminal coming in May should attract an airline from central america. The passengers won't have to clear Mexican immigration and customs anymore in either direction.

You're right. I don't remember a direct flight from TIJ to SJO. I do remember to GUA. I think the flight maybe continued to SJO.

I'll be happy if any central America flight shows up again.

vedatil4 wrote:

I don't remember a direct flight from TIJ to SJO. I do remember to GUA. I think the flight maybe continued to SJO.

Based on the records about this series, it was routed as Q6 SAL-GUA-TIJ 3x weekly with 319, in 2017-2018.
Regards,

SJOtoLIR wrote:

vedatil4 wrote:

I don't remember a direct flight from TIJ to SJO. I do remember to GUA. I think the flight maybe continued to SJO.

Based on the records about this series, it was routed as Q6 SAL-GUA-TIJ 3x weekly with 319, in 2017-2018.
Regards,

Thanks for refreshing my memory. Yes, that's how I remember it.

I met some Volaris Costa Rica flight crewmembers on the San Diego Trolley. Their accents were unusual around here. They had gone shopping together as a group.

A direct flight to San Jose or Liberia would be nice. A little "pura vida" to get over the pandemic blues.

The trouble with the possible Q6 LAX- LIR or Q6 LAX-SJO is the heavy competition, in these routes.

Los Angeles - Liberia: United - jetBlue, Alaska.
Los Angeles - San Jose: United, Delta, Alaska, Avianca.

Even Alaska is working as AS LAX-LIR-SJO with limited weekly flights.
B6 LAX-SJO is no longer in service.
Volaris is deploying LAX-SAL and LAX-GUA. Neither on a daily basis.

SJOtoLIR wrote:

Volaris is deploying LAX-SAL and LAX-GUA. Neither on a daily basis.

At least LAX-GUA on Volaris will be daily starting April.

That route will have daily flights from 4 different airline.
-Delta
-Volaris
-United
-Avianca

Regards.

juanchito wrote:

SJOtoLIR wrote:

Volaris is deploying LAX-SAL and LAX-GUA. Neither on a daily basis.

At least LAX-GUA on Volaris will be daily starting April.

That route will have daily flights from 4 different airline.
-Delta
-Volaris
-United
-Avianca

Regards.

IMHO, and there's still room for SNA/ONT-GUA flights.

Frontier Airlines announced its expansion in Central America by late 2019, taking into account several routes heading to San Salvador and Guatemala City: F9 MIA-GUA, F9 BWI-SAL, F9 MIA-SAL, F9 ONT-SAL and F9 ONT-GUA.
They didn't materialize their former plans due to the known crisis.
The airline changed this project, given their new routes linking Florida and Central America.
Avianca took this idea and AV SAL-ONT 3x weekly was inaugurated, in July 2021. It's working with 320 equipment by now.
The recovery of the market is reaching higher levels every month,

I think Frontier is only flying GUA/SAL-MIA 2x a week

Tropic Air Belize started SAL/BZE flights, I think its running 3x a week with a Beech 1900D.

News link with pic:

Tropic Air announces new non-stop flight to El Salvador

Ву Веnјаmіn Flоwеrѕ: Тоdау, Тrоріс Аіr аnnоunсеd thаt іt іѕ ѕtаrtіng а nеw nоnѕtор flіght tо Еl Ѕаlvаdоr thіѕ mоnth.

Тhе flіght, whісh оffісіаllу lаunсhеѕ оn Frіdау, Fеbruаrу 11th, wіll оffеr nоnѕtор ѕеrvісе bеtwееn Еl Ѕаlvаdоr Іntеrnаtіоnаl Аіrроrt Ѕаіnt Óѕсаr Аrnulfо Rоmеrо у Gаldámеz (fоrmаllу Соmаlара Іntеrnаtіоnаl Аіrроrt) іn Ѕаn Ѕаlvаdоr (ЅАL) аnd thе Рhіlір Gоldѕоn Іntеrnаtіоnаl Аіrроrt (ВZЕ). Тhе flіght wіll іnіtіаllу bе оffеrеd оn Моndауѕ, Wеdnеѕdауѕ, аnd Frіdауѕ.

https://www.breakingbelizenews.com/2022 ... -salvador/
https://www.breakingbelizenews.com/2022/02/01/tropic-air-announces-new-non-stop-flight-to-el-salvador/

avi8 wrote:

Frontier is only flying GUA/SAL-MIA 2x a week

Add F9 MCO-BZE 1x weekly, F9 MCO-SAL 2x weekly, F9 MCO-SJO 2x weekly and F9 MCO-LIR 2x weekly.

Regards.

usxguy wrote:

Tropic Air Belize started SAL/BZE flights, I think its running 3x a week with a Beech 1900D.

The airline is expanding its international network out of Belize City:

Cancun [Mexico]
Guatemala City, Flores [Guatemala]
Roatan [Honduras]

Is 9N GUA-BZE operated by Tropic Air or any interline agreement ?

Regards.

SJOtoLIR wrote:

usxguy wrote:

Tropic Air Belize started SAL/BZE flights, I think its running 3x a week with a Beech 1900D.

The airline is expanding its international network out of Belize City:

Cancun [Mexico]
Guatemala City, Flores [Guatemala]
Roatan [Honduras]

Is 9N GUA-BZE operated by Tropic Air or any interline agreement ?

Regards.

GUZ-BZE is operated by TAG Airlines on daily basis with a mix of Saab S340 and E110, Tropic code shares with this flight

Regards

The launch of 9N SAL-BZE 3x weekly is partially filling the gap of AV SAL-BZE.
TACA served in the past TA SAL-BZE-IAH on a daily basis with the 320 family.

SJOtoLIR wrote:

The launch of 9N SAL-BZE 3x weekly is partially filling the gap of AV SAL-BZE.
TACA served in the past TA SAL-BZE-IAH on a daily basis with the 320 family.

That flight was later downgraded to E190 and then to ATR72

Regards.

SJOtoLIR wrote:

avi8 wrote:

Frontier is only flying GUA/SAL-MIA 2x a week

Add F9 MCO-BZE 1x weekly, F9 MCO-SAL 2x weekly, F9 MCO-SJO 2x weekly and F9 MCO-LIR 2x weekly.

Regards.

DEN -BZE too.

Copa Holdings Q4 Earnings Top Estimates, Increase Y/Y

https://finance.yahoo.com/news/copa-hol ... 03512.html

excellent results given current Covid19 impact on the turist industry

On June Avianca will start a second daily flight from SJO-GUA
One flight will be SJO-GUA-LAX that will change to a morning flight and the other one will be SJO-GUA-IAD or JFK

Regards

Juanchito

SJO definitely seems like a market AV can really grow in. Actually pretty similar PTY in terms of population (though Panama City has more $$$) and may have a bigger tourist pull than PTY. Could definitely see AV add cities like BOS, ORD, YYZ, IAD, TPA, MEX, CLO, and MCO at some point down the road if their financial situation improves and if they can get some hands on some more aircraft. If AV orders A220s, it would be even better.

The next stage of new brand routes served from San Jose on Avianca would be Quito, Medellin and Cartagena, starting from March 2022.
AV SJO-MEX 7x weekly is already in service.
The airline has previously announced the opening of more routes from several stations, in the forthcoming months.

juanchito wrote:

On June Avianca will start a second daily flight from SJO-GUA
One flight will be SJO-GUA-LAX that will change to a morning flight and the other one will be SJO-GUA-IAD or JFK

Regards

Juanchito

Let’s hope AV adds another destination from GUA

I'm waiting for the return of the [Chicago-Central America] service on Avianca.
They did operate it from Guatemala City and San Salvador, in the past.
However, both AA and UA are now flying the ORD-GUA segment.

Copa Airlines will begin services to Santa Marta, Colombia.
CM PTY-SMR 3x weekly, 737.
Effective: June 28th

SJOtoLIR wrote:

I'm waiting for the return of the [Chicago-Central America] service on Avianca.
They did operate it from Guatemala City and San Salvador, in the past.
However, both AA and UA are now flying the ORD-GUA segment.

The Central American population is Chicago is relatively small. Guatemalans are really the only sizable group. Dont really know that it needs more beyond that.

LAXdude1023 wrote:

The Central American population is Chicago is relatively small. Guatemalans are really the only sizable group.

However. other Central American stations like Panama City, San Jose and Liberia are getting flights heading to Chicago and most likely based on the leisure component instead.

Regards.

SJOtoLIR wrote:

LAXdude1023 wrote:

The Central American population is Chicago is relatively small. Guatemalans are really the only sizable group.

However. other Central American stations like Panama City, San Jose and Liberia are getting flights heading to Chicago and most likely based on the leisure component instead.

Regards.

Costa Rica is almost all leisure. There are very few Costa Ricans living in the US.

ORD-PTY is connection based, not O&D based.

CM PTY-ORD 7x weekly is getting the highest level of frequencies between Central America and Chicago by now as non-stop flights. I totally agreed with the argument stating that connections through PTY are sustaining these operations.

Both AA ORD-SJO 2x weekly and AA ORD-LIR 1x weekly began in 2021. AA ORD-SJO was downgraded from 3x to 2x weekly.
UA ORD-SJO and UA ORD-LIR are not working on year-round basis.

UA ORD-GUA 1x weekly just started in 2021 as well.

Probably, the demand of passengers among [Denver - Central America] is slightly larger than [Chicago - Central America] at this time.

SJOtoLIR wrote:

CM PTY-ORD 7x weekly is getting the highest level of frequencies between Central America and Chicago by now as non-stop flights. I totally agreed with the argument stating that connections through PTY are sustaining these operations.

Both AA ORD-SJO 2x weekly and AA ORD-LIR 1x weekly began in 2021. AA ORD-SJO was downgraded from 3x to 2x weekly.
UA ORD-SJO and UA ORD-LIR are not working on year-round basis.

UA ORD-GUA 1x weekly just started in 2021 as well.

Probably, the demand of passengers among [Denver - Central America] is slightly larger than [Chicago - Central America] at this time.

AA also operated ORD-GUA 4 weekly during the winter season.

Volaris Costa Rica to start [San Jose-Lima] service, thrice a week.
Effective: June 03rd.
The airline has received one Airbus 320-Neo and registered as N545VL.